Figure your real hourly wage, to understand how much money you are trading your life for. For working parents who drive, the cost of working can range from $9 to $16 an hour. (Link to worksheet to figure it out.) This reality check will help you make better choices about working and spending.

Share the cost of pricey trade journal subscriptions with co-workers. A local university library will likely have all the journals you need and some great ones youve never heard of. Spend an occasional afternoon in the periodicals reading room and stay up to speed in your field for free.

Try public transportation to get to work. Figure out how much money you would save in driving costs (average is more than .30 per mile, not including parking), and add in the benefits of extra exercise and less stress. Try it at least once before you say I cant, because [fill in the blank], and see if your resistance goes down.

If your company has a shower, jog to work, and score several times over: cheap exercise program, reduced commuting bills and pollution, and lower utility bills (the employer pays for hot water).

Save commute time, fuel and stress by seeking permission from your employer to commute in off-peak times. Point out the environmental, productivity and job- satisfaction benefits.

See if its possible to change to a 10-hour day, four days a week. The benefits to you are obvious (you may already be working 10 hours a day, anyway!), but research the benefits to your employer, and provide them in a well-written request.

If you inherited enough money so that you never had to work again, would you still do what you do for a living now? If not, decide what kinds of work would make you say yes, and see if there is a way for you to switch paths. Merge work with what you love, and vastly increase the happiness and satisfaction in your life.

Telecommute from your home one day a week. Youll save 20% a year on transportation and clothing maintenance, and will feel less rushed. There are proven productivity gains for employers, and everyone benefits with fewer commuters on the road.

Move closer to work so you can save time, money and fuel. Walking distance is ideal.

Become financially independent so you dont have to work at all, unless you want to. Read Your Money or Your Life (see RESOURCES). You will never see work or money the same way again!